Robert Olsson

Swedish track and field athlete Robert Olsson represented Örgryte IS in Göteborg where he specialised in the hammer throw. Olsson initially started out his athletics career as a sprinter and was part of the quartet that won the 4 x 100 metres relay title at the 1904 Swedish championships. By 1907 he had switched his focus to the hammer throw, finishing in third place at the national championships. Olsson won three more bronze medals at the Swedish championships (1911, 1913–14), before winning three consecutive golds (1915–17). He won two more medals in the hammer throw with a bronze in 1918 and a silver in 1922. Olsson was also the Swedish champion in the weight throw in 1917, winning bronze in 1915 and 1919, and silver in 1918.

Olsson competed at three Olympics with his first appearance coming at the 1908 Games in London in the hammer throw. Four years later he had the honour of being the flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony of his home Olympics in Stockholm. He finished in fourth place in the hammer with a best throw of 46.50 metres. He was also scheduled to compete in the shot put and the shot put with both hands at the Stockholm Games but did not start in either event. Olsson’s third and final Olympics were the 1920 Antwerpen Games where he competed in the hammer and the 56-pound weight throw.

Personal Best: HT – 49.08 (1915).